Dreaming of a White Christmas movie

If the weather cooperates, we may be in for a white Christmas this year. At least in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Of course, the thought of a white Christmas brings up the whole idea of the White Christmas movie starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye and featuring the Irving Berlin classic song of the same name.

For many households, that movie is part of family tradition. And if the movie isn’t, well the song surely is.

White Christmas, the song, is the best-selling single of all time, according to the Guinness World Records, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. Other versions of the song, along with Bing Crosby's, have sold over 100 million copies. The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1942.

I recommend searching online for Bing and White Christmas. You will find several versions. He also sang the song in another movie called “Holiday Inn.” Look for the early video recordings to really absorb the simple beauty of the song and to see Bing do his famous whistling of the second verse.

He first sang the song on his NBC radio show on Christmas Day in 1941. The strong imagery in the song that evokes memories of Christmases long ago, made the song poignant and popular for people separated from home by World War II.

The film White Christmas features post-WW II soldiers who decide to help out their former commander who owns a country inn which is not getting very many guests because there is no snow. It is a lovely story with the added benefit of dancing and singing. It is not meant to be War and Peace – there are no social injustices or ecological eulogies.

It’s just the right movie for popcorn and a cozy couch.

Cindy Earehart Rinker, marketing supervisor at Shentel, wishes you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.